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451
Table 8: Comparison of major black business
locations for 1897 and 1900
Street
1897
Address
1900
Address
N. 2nd 28 10
S. 2nd 11 6
N. 4th 15 20
S. 7th 14 11
Front 24 19
Market 18 4
Princess 17 6
Water 10 11
Totals
This table demonstrates that
over half of the city’s black
businesses were clustered in
three areas -- the downtown
business district, N. 4th and
S. 7th.
By 1900, the businesses had
shifted away from the city’s
center and toward the
secondary districts and into
traditionally black areas of
the city.
137 87
Data: All entries from the Individual Section of the City Directory
for Wilmington, NC in 1897 and 1900.
Although some black business owners retained their businesses after the riot, the
directory data suggests that the black businesses and entrepreneurs experienced a
decrease in the stature of their businesses. Evidence of this is obtained by analyzing the
locations of businesses before and after the riot. Prior to the riot, many black business
owners were located in the main business districts of town. After the riot there was a
migration of black businesses away from the main business districts. This suggests that
many of the black owned businesses may have decreased in size after the riot. It could
also suggest that certain black owned businesses were no longer welcome in the main
business section of town. It is not clear why, exactly, the business climate changed for
African American businesses.
White businesses also experienced changes in the city as a result of the riot.
Table 8 demonstrates that there were 789 white businesses in the city in 1897. Of those,
most were located in the downtown business district. There were 771 white businesses in
the city in 1900, a decrease of 18.

451
Table 8: Comparison of major black business
locations for 1897 and 1900
Street
1897
Address
1900
Address
N. 2nd 28 10
S. 2nd 11 6
N. 4th 15 20
S. 7th 14 11
Front 24 19
Market 18 4
Princess 17 6
Water 10 11
Totals
This table demonstrates that
over half of the city’s black
businesses were clustered in
three areas -- the downtown
business district, N. 4th and
S. 7th.
By 1900, the businesses had
shifted away from the city’s
center and toward the
secondary districts and into
traditionally black areas of
the city.
137 87
Data: All entries from the Individual Section of the City Directory
for Wilmington, NC in 1897 and 1900.
Although some black business owners retained their businesses after the riot, the
directory data suggests that the black businesses and entrepreneurs experienced a
decrease in the stature of their businesses. Evidence of this is obtained by analyzing the
locations of businesses before and after the riot. Prior to the riot, many black business
owners were located in the main business districts of town. After the riot there was a
migration of black businesses away from the main business districts. This suggests that
many of the black owned businesses may have decreased in size after the riot. It could
also suggest that certain black owned businesses were no longer welcome in the main
business section of town. It is not clear why, exactly, the business climate changed for
African American businesses.
White businesses also experienced changes in the city as a result of the riot.
Table 8 demonstrates that there were 789 white businesses in the city in 1897. Of those,
most were located in the downtown business district. There were 771 white businesses in
the city in 1900, a decrease of 18.